CHAKRA Conversations ProjectCHAKRA

Oliver studied Engineering Physics at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, went on to study abroad in Singapore and has recently completed his Masters in Computer Science from New York University. At the age of 19, he started his own company that educates youth in programming and has also spent time working with the likes of Caltech, Spotify, Uber and will soon start working with Google. Oliver is also a big fan of meditation and is passionate about AI safety. In this episode we spoke about the learning and growth Oliver experienced from running his own company, the pros and cons of working at a start-up compared to a large firm, spending time productively, Effective Altruism, explore whether the future of AI will be good or bad for human development and the importance of being comfortable within yourself.

Yash and I studied abroad in Singapore for a year and in this episode we spoke about the value of spending structured time abroad, the importance of tracking your memories, our travel tips, reverse culture shock, consumption vs creation and of course, BIG TALK. Yash is a graduate from the University of Bristol and now works as a consultant.

Viren is one of the founders of Manav Sadhna, an NGO based in Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad, India, which has been serving underprivileged communities for the past 30 years. Manav Sadhna serves over 10,000 people daily, from children and women to the elderly. Before Manav Sadhna, Viren worked in the US. In this episode we spoke about Viren's early influences, and the challenges he faced moving away from India to work in the US, where he started on a minimum wage job and worked his way all the way to the top. We spoke about working for something bigger than yourself, the value of not quitting, serving from an early age, what it means to serve and connecting in a deeper way.

Dr Neil Patel is the founder of Awaaz.De, a tech social enterprise that provides last mile connectivity to underserved people in India and Africa. Awaaz.De has over 3 million active monthly users and regularly works with the likes of the Gates Foundation and academic institutions like Harvard. Neil studied Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley, worked in Silicon Valley for a couple of years, then went on to complete his Phd at Stanford. This episode follows on from the last episode and in this part we spoke about how Neil's Phd formed the foundation of his business, where we not only spoke about the challenges of starting an enterprise in India but also the personal challenges Neil faces in moving away from the US. We also spoke about the key characteristics of a leader and the value of discipline.

Dr Neil Patel is the founder of Awaaz.De, a tech social enterprise that provides last mile connectivity to underserved people in India and Africa. Awaaz.De has over 3 million active monthly users and regularly works with the likes of the Gates Foundation and academic institutions like Harvard. Neil studied Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley, worked in Silicon Valley for a couple of years, then went on to complete his Phd at Stanford. In part 1 of this episode, we spoke about the value Neil takes from his daily practice of meditation and in particular how this allows us to explore our inner world. We also spoke about the value he gained from playing sports at a young age as well as the significant influences on his service journey.

Dave is a Senior Lecturer of Entrepreneurship at the University of Bristol's award winning Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In this episode, we delved deeper into Dave's TED Talk on Side Projects, where we spoke about the value of working for a start-up, changing the narratives around entrepreneurship and the overall benefits of having a side project. We also spoke about the uniqueness of the courses and ways of learning offered at the Centre and how it caters to changing students wants and needs as well as the needs of the dynamic job market.